Taking Up the Whole Armor of God – Step 1: The Helmet of Truth

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May 15, 2016

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1. Truth – Belt

2. Righteousness – Breastplate

3. Preparedness – Boots

4. Faith – Shield

5. Salvation – Helmet

6. Revelation – Sword

The list above highlights six subjects that every Christian needs to be fully equipped in in order to stand their ground against satanic attacks. They are compared to the armor that was worn by soldiers in earlier times, such as the Romans during the time of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. The Roman battle armor was defensive and offensive.

The key to maximizing your protection was to wear the full armor and not just parts of it. Having all the armor except a sword would prove fatal. Not having a belt would make it all fall apart. Not having a shield or helmet made one vulnerable. This armor works best when all of the pieces are in place and worn correctly. Saints who know a lot about salvation but little about revelation or hearing God’s voice are suseptible to being maimed. Likewise, a person who is strong about faith but not ready to witness to the lost is also suseptible. The armor of God comes as a package and not in parts!

Over the next couple of weeks, I would like to share the steps and keys that the Holy Spirit has opened up to me on how to completely walk in the fulness of the whole armor of God. Each week we will discuss individual parts and their depth; what they mean spiritually; what they represent; and how they impact our lives. This contribution was taken from one of our series recently shared on Spiritual Warfare. I hope that it encourages and equips you to take up the full and complete armor of God and to wage the war on the enemy and stand in the victory of Christ!

1. Truth

The belt—known as the cingulum or balteus – played a crucial role in the effectiveness of a soldier’s armor. It was the belt that held the scabbard, without which there would be no place to put a sword. Imagine an overzealous soldier, fired up and charging out into battle—but without his belt, and consequently without a weapon!

In addition, the Nelson Study Bible says from the belt “hung strips of leather to protect the lower body.” The Matthew Henry Commentary says the belt “girds on [secures] all the other pieces of our armor.” Truth should cleave to us as a belt cleaves to our body.

What is truth?

His promises, His commands, His Word. they are all truth, plain and simple. As Christians, we are to test all things and then hold on only to that which is good—the truth—discarding all else. We are to be like the Bereans who “searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11). If we are not convinced that our principles and beliefs are without exception 100 per cent true, how can we expect to accomplish anything?

The world we live in teaches that truth is what we make it—that good and bad are relative and that there are no absolutes, only equally valid opinions. But the Bible teaches that truth is God’s Word—that good and bad are defined by Him and that there are eternal and unchangeable absolutes, uninfluenced by opinions.

Paul wrote to the Romans telling them to “not be conformed to this world.” Part of that means not buying into a system of belief that says absolute truth is a myth. As Christians, we know both that there is truth and that it is absolute.

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